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A worker was killed in a workplace accident near Corpus Christi, Texas on May 28, according to KIII-TV in Texas. Christopher Michael Cantu, 22, was killed when a 2,600 lb metal tank fell on him at the Coastal Plating Company. EMS responders pronounced him dead on the scene.
“There were efforts [to move the tank off Cantu], but you’re talking about some heavy equipment in there,” said Corpus Christi Police Lt. Isaac Valencia. “There comes a point when you have so much mass on you it doesn’t really, or you hope that it might, make a difference; but the fact of the matter, if you drop a tank on someone your chances of survival are very, very minimal.”
Lt. Valencia is right—facilities that operate and move heavy equipment like this have an obligation to adhere to federal regulations to prevent accidents such as this. Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will almost certainly inspect this facility and the circumstances surrounding this accident. OSHA has cited Coastal Plating in the past.
“The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing, or likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to a struck-by hazard.”
If Coastal Plating failed to implement changes recommended by OHSA, they can expect to be hit with heavy fines following this fatal accident. There is more information on workers comp available on our site. Please contact our firm today for a free consultation if you or a loved one has been injured.
Tip of the week: According to the US Department of Labor, 729 Hispanic or Latino workers were killed in accidents in 2011—more than 14 deaths a week.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus workers comp attorneys